The 6.5-magnitude quake struck at 2:31 pm (0231 GMT) near an area where a
series of quakes hit last month, the US Geological Survey said. It was felt
from Christchurch in the South Island to Auckland in the North Island.

The USGS, which initially measured the quake at 6.8 magnitude, said it was
centred five km (three miles) east of the town of Seddon at a relatively
shallow depth of 9.9 km (six